Apparatus for subjecting air to electric discharges.



No. 817,082. I PATENTBD APR. 3, 1906.

J. E. MITCHELL & B. PARKS. r APPARATUS FOR SUBJEGTING AIR T0 ELECTRICDISGHARGES.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.3. 1906 7292 me y n f fi a ll vzfiwfarza No.817,082. PATENTED APR.3,1'906.

J. EIMITGHELL & D. PARKS.

Q A APPARATUS FOR SUBJEOTING AIR. T0 ELECTRIC DISGHARGES.

- APPLICATION I'ILED JAN.3.1906.

2 sums-sum 2f Fenian are Afi res.

JOHN E. MITCHELL AND DENNIS PARKS, OF s'r. Louis, MISSOURI, ASSIGN- 1ORS To ALSOP PROCESS COMPANY, or s1. ents, MissoUai', cos:

PURATION OF MISSOURI.

APPARATUS FOR sumac-runesits TO ELEQTPdG onset-assess.

' Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 3, 1906.

Application filed January 3, 1906.. Serial No. 294,392.

To aZZ'u/hom it may concern:

Be it known that we,.Jo HN E 'VIN MITCH- ELL and DENNIS PARKS, citizensof the United States, residing at St. Louis, in the State of Missouri,have invented new and useful Improvements-"in Ap aratus' for Subjectin'Air to Electric vDischarges, of which the f0 lowing is aspecification..-

his invention relates to certain new and useful apparatus for subjectingair to the action of an electric discharge; and the objects of theinvention are to providea self-contained ap aratus presenting theminimum number 0 parts and one which is capable of very rapid operation,so that a large number of electric discharges per minute may be producedas com ared with machines of' the same eneral c aracter heretofore used.

Wit the above stated general objects in view, as well as other objectswhich will appear from the specification and claims to folow, theinvention resides inthe novel con- .struction, combination, andcooperation 'of parts hereinafter described, and particularly pointedout in the claims,

We have shown in the drawings as an embodiment of our invention anapparatusdesigned for producing what has come to be known as t eflamfiig' electric dischar e; but it will be apparent to those skilledint e art that. the invention hereinafter described. les of operationinvolved.

and the I princi thereimare app cable to the roduction of othercharacters ofelectric discharge.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a sectional side elevation illustrating acomplete. apparatus embodying our invention, and Fig. 2 1s a sectionalend elevation of the same;

Referring now-to the drawings,

the apparatus will be seen to comprise as to its main .5 forming the e 4are portions an electrifying-chain er 1,. pumpcylinders 2 3, and aninduction-coil 4. J

The frame of the machine, (indicatedgem erally by 5,) sup orting theinduction-coil and ectrifying-chamber and the pum ylinders,is cast frommetal, and ractical the entire main structure or ran'ie may e made at asin 16 casting. At 0 pcsite ends of the elect g-chamber 1 t ere hrovided in the-respective end walls of .t e cats, through taperedq-penings 8 9 intheend ame air-chambers 6 7 which communh throng thesame,

Walls of said latter.

10 indicates a normallystationary electrode which. is horizontalldisposed and slidably mounted centrally of the chamber 1 in porcelain orother non-conducting bearings 11, which are in turn mounted -1I1supports12. At opposite ends of the electrode electrifying-chamber, withthe 10 are mounted contact-blocks 13'14, remov ablysecured thereon bymeans of screws or other fastening devices 15.' Insmploying thewordelectrode hereinafter weintend to include the'electro'cle proper, :10,and its contact-blocks 13 14,

as it is obvious that we may dispense with contactblocks and simply usethe opposite ends of the electrode itself for contactqiurposes. For thesake of economy, however, it is desirable to have re' movablecontact-blocks, as when they have worn away they may be removed and newcontact-blocks inserted on the ends of the electrode, and thus obviatehaving to substitute entirely new electrodes, as would be the case ifthe contact-blocks were dispensed with.

.16 17 indicate movable electrodes which are mounted in the upper endsof armslS each ofwhich is fixedly secured on the outer end of apiston-rod 19 and 20, respectively. The inner ends of the piston-rods 19and 20 are secured in opposite sides of a con ler 21 which'is providedwith a verticallyrd sposed slot 22, in which works a pin 23, mountedeccentrically on a wheel 24, fixed on a shaft 25, which shaft is driventhrough the medium of a pulley 26 from any source of power. As

cation of the pistons will cause a corresponding movement of theelectrodes 16 and 17,

bringing them alternatelyinto and out of contact with the respectivecontact-blocks l3 and14.-, I Y

27 indicates a generator of electlicityjroxn the shaft revolves the pin23, working in the slot-22, will cause the pistons 19 and 26 to bereciprocated back and forth, and this reciproone side'of which aconductor '28 leads to the induction-coil 4. From the induction-coil 4 aconductor 29 leads to a metal shoe 3.0, which is mounted on theelectrode 10, but so as to, "ermit'the electrode to slide freely Inorder to insurea coin stant electrical contact betweenthe shoe 3;}

" tying-chamber, said top being1 the form of the flaming or othercharacter of outof contact with the contact-block 13 the -tance belowthe electrode 10, and this pendweight to carry out'the purposesaboveindi-,

- tive cylinders 2 and 3 with the air-chambers ducted into the presenceof the flour tobe andelectr'ode .10 and also to prevent-the shoe shownextending down a con'si erable dis .ent portion 31 may be made of anydesired cat'edl From-the other side of the generator 27 a conductor 32leads and is electrically connected with the electrodes 16 and 17. Thisconnection is made with the electrodes themselves or with the metallicarms 9 supporting them. The pump-cylinders 2 and 3 are open at theirinner ends, and mounted on each of the piston-rods 19 20 is a piston 33,working in the corresponding pump-cylinder and provided with a flap orother valve 34 for the admission of air.

35 indicates ports connecting the respec- 6 and 7 and which arecontrolled by valves -36,.permitting air to pass from the pump-cylinders2 3 into said chambers, but which close to prevent'air from being drawnout of said chambers. y

a 37 indicates a removable top of the electri-- provided with an outlet38, from which e modified air -passing through the apparatus may be con-.treated. v

The operation of the' apparatus will be readilyu'nderstood and is asfollows; Assuming the apparatus to be inoperation, as the piston-'rod 19moves inward the piston 33 will be moved toward the front end of itscylinder, closing by suction the valve 36 and openin r the-valve 34 topermitair to pass into the cy linder and infront of said piston. Thismovement of the piston-rod will also cause the electrode 16 to bebrought into contact with thecontact-block 13. In the outward movementof the piston-rod 19 the piston-33, moving to the back end of itscylinder, will close the valve 34 and force air through the port 35 intothe air-chamber 6. This movement will also cause the electrode 16 to beremoved fromcontact with the contact-block 13 and as these partsseparate the current in electric discharge will pass between them. Atthe same time the air which was forced into the chamber 6 will pass outof said chamber through the port 8 which surrounds theelectrpde 16,and-be discharged into the immediate vicinity and on all sides oftheelectric discharge, and thus be thoroughly subjected to the modifyingaction of the-said dis char 0. On the other side of the apparatus, whicworks in alternation with the side just described, the same operationsas outlined above occur, and as the electrode 16 moves electrode 17 willbe movin toward the contact-block '14. When the e ectrode 17 comes incontact with the contact-block 14, the curgas rent. willbeshort-circuited" from the elec- "trode' 16 and the electric'dischargeoccurring.

between said electrode andthe contact-block 13 will be extinguished ordissipated. In practice, however, we rovide for breaking orextinguishing the charge by means of the blast of air passing from theapertures 8' 9 at each end of the electrifying-chamber opposite end havebeen moved into. contact, thereby preventing a larger flow of currentthanis necessary. This operation also ini time or electric dis beforethe electrodes at the creases the efficiency of the flame in modifyingthe air. I a

The above-described machine is adapted to operate at a high rate ofspeed and to give the necessary contact between the electrodes, while atthe same time avoiding injury by striking them together. The stationaryelectrode, as already described, is adapted to yield or slide back andforth in its bearing in the metal shoe 30, andfor ordinary work saidelectrode is caused to slide or yield about onefourth of an inch in eachdirection as the mov-' able electrodes come into contact with it at eachend of the stroke from opposite directions, which operation permitsample contact between the electrodes to enable the coil 4 to' becomesaturated with electricity, so that as,

the electrodes are drawn apart the resultant induced current will supplythe requisite potential for maintaining the electric discharge,

Our machine is extremely compact, simple, and durable, re uiring a verylittle space and power; but at the same time it possesses greatefficiency in electrifying the. son of the large number of arcs whichmay be drawn out per minute.

It will be seen that the eccentric-pin through the connections describedoperates all the moving parts of the machine and that the pump-pistonsand movable electrodes Work in unison, so that, the air is disair byreacharged through the respective ports 8 and 1 9 immediately the arc isformedor the electric discharge commences. Ofcourse the action of theumps is also utilized in forcing the air from te electrifying-chamberthrough the outlet 38, from whence, as stated, it is or mav be conductedinto the fiour to be treated.

presence of the The complete apparatus is mounted na wooden base 39.

1. In an apparatus for modifying air by the electric discharge, incombination with a yieldably-mounted electrode, a pair of electrodesreciprocable into and out of contact with opposite ends thereof, saidelectrodes being connected with a suitable source of electricity.

2. In an apparatus for modifying air by the e ctric discharge, incombination with a slidab y-niounted electrode, a pair .ofelectrodesreciprocable into and out of contact chronously-movableelectrodes reciprocableinto and out of contact alternately with oppositeends of said electrode, said electrodes being connected with a suitablesource of electricity. 4

4. In an apparatus for modifyingair by the electric discharge,in'combination with a slidably-mounted electrode, a pair of elec-'trodes reciprocable into and.out of contact with opposite ends thereof,and means for connecting up said electrodes with a source of electricityinvolving a shoe loosely mounted on said slidable'electrode. I

5. in an apparatus'for modifying air, by' the electric discharge,iii-combination with an electrifying-cliamber having an end wallprovided with an aperture and having an outlet, an electrode mounted insaid chamber, a second electrode, and means forreciproeating it throughsaid aperture into and out of contact with said Lirst-nained electrode,said electrodes being connected with a source of electricity, and meansfor forcing a blast of air through said aperture.

6. In an apparatus for modifying air by the electric discharge, incombination with an electrifying-chamber having an end Wall pro- .videdwith an aperture and having an outlet, an electrode mounted in saidchamber,

a second electrode, and means for reciprocating it through said apertureinto and out of contact with said first-named electrode, said electrodesbeing connected with a source of electricity, and means for forcing ablast of air through said aperture simultaneously with the outward orseparating movement of said last-named electrode.

7. In an apparatus for modifying air by the electric discharge, incombination with an electrifying-chamber having. oppositely-disposedapertures and provided with an outlet, an electrode mounted in saidchamber in line with said apertures,- a pair of electrodes reciprocablethrough said apertures into and Out of contact with opposite ends ofsaid first-named electrode, said electrodes being the electricdischarge,

' occurring connected with a source means for forcing a blast of airthroughs'aid apertures simultaneously with the outward or separatingvmovement of the respective reciprocable electrodes.-

- 8. In an a the electric ischarge, in combination with anelectrifying-chamber having oppositelydisposed apertures, a pair ofpump-cylinders hav ng valve-controlled communication with saidapertures,-plungers in said cylinders, an electrode in saidelectrifying-chamber, a pair of electrodes recip'rocable through saidapertures into and out of contact with opposite and means for simulendsof said electrode,

of electricity, and

paratus for modifying'air taneously'operating said pair of electrodesand said plunger-s.

9. In an apparatus for modifying air by an electrifyin -chamber,an'electrode yieldably IIIOLUltPA therein, 'a pair of,air-pumps havingpistons, a pair'of electrodes operatively connected to said pistons,means for reciprocating said pistons alternately in opposite directionswhereby saidpair of elecin combination with v trodes are alsoreciprocated in opposite directions into and out of contact with saidyieldable electrode, and ducts provided. in said apparatus for conveyingairfrom said pumps into the presence of the electric dischar es producedat opposite ends of the lattereectrode. v

10. In an apparatus for modifying air by the electric discharge, incombination with an electrifying-chamber, a pair ofelectrodes comiectedwith a suitable source of electrieity and one of which isreciprocableinto and out of contact with the other within said chamber;and an air-pump for forcing air into the presence of the electricdischarges between said electrodes, said reciprocab e electrode beingconnected to and movable simultaneously and in unison with a movablemember of the air-pump.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our-hands in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

JOHN E. MITCHELL.

DENNIS PARKS.

Witnesses: 1 WM. WILLrAMsoN,

HARVEY S. W. DE GEM.

